My thoughts on the Phillies season.

July 2012

A late inning rally leads to the Phils fourth straight victory, and their second straight series win, as they defeat the Dodgers, 3-2.

The Phils took the lead in the first as, with a man on third, and with one man out, Chase Utley hits an RBI ground out, 3-unassisted, knocking in Jimmy Rollins, who had started the game off with a double, then moved up to third base on Shane Victorino’s sacrifice bunt, 1-3, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. The Dodgers tied the game up at one-all in the second as, with runners on second and third, and with nobody out, James Loney hits an RBI single, knocking in Andre Ethier, who had started the inning off with a single, then stopped at third base on Adam Kennedy’s double, while sending Kennedy, who had just doubled, up to third base. The Dodgers then took the lead one batter later as Luis Cruz hits an RBI single, scoring Kennedy, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead, while sending Loney up to second base. The Phils tried to tied the game up in the sixth as, with a runner on second, and with two men out, Ryan Howard, who had earlier walk, then reached second base on pitcher Steven Fife’s wild pitch, tried to score on Hunter Pence’s single to center field, but is gun down at the plate by a strong throw by center fielder Matt Kemp, as catcher A.J. Ellis applies the tag, keeping it a 2-1 Dodgers’ lead. The Phils would retake the lead in the eight as, with the bases loaded, via a walk to Utley, Howard being hit by a pitch, moving Utley up to second base, before he is pinch run for by John Mayberry, Jr. and Carlos Ruiz also being hit by a pitch, moving up both runners, and with two men out, Pence hits a two-run single, knocking in both Utley and Mayberry, with the later crossing the plate before Ruiz is thrown out trying to move up to third base by Kemp, as third baseman Kennedy applies the tag, for the inning’s final out, as the Phils take a 3-2 lead. That would end up being the final score as Jonathan Papelbon collected his twenty-first save of the year as he threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Roy Halladay received a no-decision as he pitched five strong innings, giving up just two runs on five hits, while striking out six. Michael Schwimer and Jeremy Horst combined for a 1-2-3 inning. Kyle Kendrick (3-8, 4.71) got the win as he threw a scoreless inning and two-thirds, giving up two hits, while striking out a batter. Antonio Bastardo collected his seventeenth hold of the season as he pitched a third of an inning, striking out the only batter that he would face. Jonathan Papelbon collected his twenty-first save of the season as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Stephen Fife, who was the Dodgers’ last minute starter, also received a no-decision as he went six innings, giving up a run on four hits and three walks, while striking out a batter. Josh Lindblom collected his fourteenth hold of the season as he threw a scoreless inning, striking out a batter. Ronald Belisario collected his thirteenth hold of the season, before taking the lost (3-1, 2.18), as he went two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on a walk and two hit batters. Kensley Jansen was handed his fifth blown save of the year as he pitched an inning and a third, giving up a hit.

The Phils had five hits in the game, with Hunter Pence leading the team with two hits, both singles, as he knocked in two runs. Jimmy Rollins (Double), Juan Pierre (Single) and Placido Polanco (Single), had the other three Phils’ hits. Chase Utley had the other Phil RBI on a ground out. The Phils also had four walks in the game, as well as two hit batters (Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz).

The Phils (41-51, 5th East) will conclude their series with the Dodgers (48-44, 2nd West) with an afternoon game, that is just starting, as they try to end a very successful road trip with a sweep of the Dodgers.

The Phils hang on to win a close one in LA, as they beat the Dodgers, 3-2.

The Phils took the lead in the second as, with one man on, and with two men out, Juan Pierre hits an RBI single, knocking in Carlos Ruiz, who had earlier doubled, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. The Phils took a 2-0 lead in the third as, with one man out, Jimmy Rollins hits a solo home run, his ninth home run of the season. The Phils then made it a 3-0 lead as Ryan Howard hits a lead-off solo home run, his first home run of the year. The Dodgers would get a run back in the sixth as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, Matt Kemp hits into a double play, 5-4-3, scoring Jerry Hairston, who had started the inning off with a double, then reached third base on first baseman Howard’s missed catch error of second baseman’s Chase Utley throw to first of Mark Ellis’ grounder, making it a 3-1 Phils’ lead, while Ellis, who had reached first base on Howard’s error, is wiped out at second base for the inning’s first out. The Dodgers then made it a 3-2 Phils’ lead in the seventh as, with runners on the corners, and with two men out, Juan Rivera, who had started the inning off with a single, moved up to second base on James Loney’s single, then stopped at third base on Luis Cruz’s force out, 1-6, as Loney, who had just singled, is wiped out at second base for the inning’s first out, as Cruz reaches first base, would score on pitcher’s Joe Blanton’s wild pitch, while Cruz, who had been safe at first on the force out, would move up to second base. That would end up being the final score as Jonathan Papelbon recorded his twentieth save of the season by throwing a scoreless ninth.

Joe Blanton (8-8, 4.79) got the win as he went eight innings, giving up two runs on six hits and a wild pitch, while striking out seven. Jonathan Papelbon collected his twentieth save of the year as he threw a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit, while striking out a batter. Nathan Eovaldi (1-6, 4.33) took the lost as he went five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out three Phils. Shawn Tolleson, Scott Elbert and Ronald Belisario combined for four scoreless innings, giving up a run (Elbert) and a walk (Elbert) between them, while striking out six (Tolleson (3), Belisario (3)).

The Phils had seven hits in the game, with Shane Victorino (Singles, Triple) leading the team with three hits. Jimmy Rollins (Home Run, RBI), Ryan Howard (Home Run, RBI), Carlos Ruiz (Double), Juan Pierre (Single, RBI) had the other four Phils’ hits. The Phils also had three walks in the ballgame.

The Phils (40-51, 5th East) will continue their series with the Dodgers (48-43, 2nd West) with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Dodgers Stadium, and is supposed to start at 10:10 pm EDT (7:10 pm PDT). The Phils will send to the mound their ace Roy Halladay (4-5. 3.98), who is coming off the disabled list. His last start was on May 27 against the Cardinals, where he had received a lost, going just two innings, giving up four runs on four hits and a walk, in the Phils’ 8-3 lost. He hopes that he will have improved over the way he was pitching before the injury. The Dodgers, as of the present moment, have not announced their starter. The Phils will be looking to increase their winning streak to four games, while hoping that Halladay will have returned to form.

The Phils took the series from the Rockies, their first series win in about a month, as they defeat Colorado by the scores of 8-5 and 5-1.

On Saturday, the Phils took the lead in the first as, with a runner on second, and with one man out, Chase Utley hits an RBI single, knocking in Shane Victorino, who had just doubled, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, after a walk to Ryan Howard, moving Utley up to second base, and with still one man out, the Phils took a 4-0 lead as Carlos Ruiz hits a three-run home run, his fourteenth home run of the season, scoring both Utley and Howard. The Rockies got a run back in the third as, with a man on second, and with one man out, Dexter Fowler hits an RBI single, knocking in Josh Rutledge, who had started the inning off with a walk, then moved up to second base on Jeremy Guthrie’s sacrifice bunt, 1-4, making it a 4-1 Phils’ lead. The Rockies cut the Phils’ lead down to 4-2 two batters later as, with a runner on second, as Fowler moved up to second base on Marco Scutaro’s ground out, 5-3, and now with two men out, Carlos Gonzalez hits an RBI double, scoring Fowler. The Phils added to their lead in the sixth as, with two men on, and with two men out, Vance Worley helped his own cause with a two-run double, knocking in Juan Pierre, who had earlier singled, then stole second base, and Mark Fontenot, who had been intentionally walked, giving the Phils a 6-2 lead. The Rockies would cut the Phils’ lead down to 6-5 in the eighth as, with two men on, and with one man out, Wilin Rosario hits a three-run home run, his fifteenth home run of the season, scoring Tyler Colvin, who had been hit by a pitch, and Jordan Pacheco, who had just walked, moving Colvin up to second base. The Phils got a run back in the ninth as, with a man on second, and with one man out, Victorino hits an RBI triple, knocking in Jimmy Rollins, who had just reached base with a ground-rule double, giving the Phils a 7-5 lead. The Phils then made it an 8-5 lead as Utley hits an RBI single, scoring Victorino. That would end up being the final score as Jonathan Papelbon collected his nineteenth save of the season by completing a five-out save, getting Gonzalez to strike out, swinging, for the game’s final out.

Vance Worley (5-5, 3.47) got the win as he pitched six and two-thirds innings, giving up two runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out two. Jake Diekman pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on a walk and a hit batter. Brian Sanches pitched to a batter, giving up a hit and a run. Jonathan Papelbon received his nineteenth save of the year as he pitched an inning and two-thirds, striking out two batters. Jeremy Guthrie (3-9, 6.14) took the lost as he pitched four and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out three. Matt Reynolds pitched a third of an inning, getting out the only man that he would face. Adam Ottavino pitched two innings, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk, while striking out three. Mike Ekstrom pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit. Matt Belisle pitched a third of an inning, giving up two runs on two hits. Rex Brothers pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up a hit, while striking out one.

The Phils had thirteen hits in the game, with Chase Utley (Singles, 2 RBIs) and Juan Pierre (Singles) both leading the team with three hits apiece, followed by Jimmy Rollins (Single, Double), Shane Victorino (Single, Triple, RBI) and Vance Worley (Single, Double, 2 RBIs) with two hits each. Carlos Ruiz (Home Run, 3 RBIs) had the final Phil’s hit and RBIs, as the offense was able to keep scoring enough runs to win the game. The Phils also had three walks and a stolen base (Pierre (21)) in the game.

On Sunday, the Phils took the lead in the first as, with a man on third, and with two men out, Carlos Ruiz hits an RBI single, knocking in Shane Victorino, who had earlier tripled, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. The Phils then took a 2-0 lead in the fourth as, with a man on third, and with one man out, Placido Polanco hits a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Ruiz, who had started the inning off with a double, then moving up to third base on Ty Wigginton’s ground out, 3-1. The Phils then made it a 5-0 lead in the fifth as, with two men on, and with two men out, Hunter Pence hits a three-run home run, his seventeenth home run of the season, knocking in Jimmy Rollins, who had earlier singled, then went to second base on pitcher Drew Pomeranz’s throwing error on a pick-off attempt, and Victorino, who had just walked. The Rockies would get on the scoreboard in the sixth as, with one man on, and with one man out, Carlos Gonzalez hits an RBI triple, scoring Marco Scutaro, who had just walked, making it a 5-1 Phils’ lead. That would end up being the final score as Antonio Bastardo pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Cole Hamels (11-4, 3.07) got the win as he pitched eight strong innings, giving up a run on six hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Antonio Bastardo threw a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Drew Pomeranz (1-4, 3.79) took the lost as he pitched five innings, giving up five runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out five. Carlos Torres, Mike Ekstrom and Rafael Betancourt combined for four scoreless innings, giving up just a hit (Betancourt) between them, while striking out two (Torres (1), Ekstrom (1)).

The Phils had just six hits in the game, with Carlos Ruiz leading the ballclub with two hits, a single and a double, knocking in a run. Jimmy Rollins (Single), Shane Victorino (Triple), Hunter Pence (Home Run, 3 RBIs) and Mike Fontenot (Single) had the other four Phils’ hits. Placido Polanco knocked in the other Phil’s run with a sacrifice fly. The Phils also had four walks in the game.

The Phils (39-51, 5th East) will start a three games series with the Dodgers (48-42, 2nd West) with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Dodgers Stadium and will start at 10:10 pm EDT (7:10 pm PDT). The Phils will send to the mound Joe Blanton (7-8, 4.98), who is coming off a lost to the Braves on July 7, as he pitched six and one-thirds innings, giving up five runs on nine hits and a walk, while striking out six, in the Phils’ 6-3 lost. He will be trying to lead the Phils to their third straight win. The Dodgers will counter with Nathan Eovaldi (1-5, 4.21), who is coming off a win against the D-backs on July 5, as he pitched six innings, giving up a run on five hits and three walks, while striking out three, in the Dodgers’ 4-1 win. He will be shooting for his second straight win. The Phils will be trying to increase their winning streak to three games.

The Phils’ losing streak increase to five games as they lose their first game of the second half, defeated by the Rockies, 6-2.

The Rockies took the lead in the second as, with runners on the corners, and with two men out, Josh Rutledge hits an RBI double, knocking in Michael Cuddyer, who had earlier doubled, giving the Rockies a 1-0 lead, while sending Jordan Pacheco, who had reached first base on a fielder’s choice ground out, 5-2, as third baseman Placido Polanco throws out at the plate Ramon Hernandez who had started the inning off by reaching first base on a fielding error by second baseman Chase Utley, then stopping at third base on Cuddyer’s double, as catcher Carlos Ruiz tagged him out for the inning’s second out, on to third base. The Phils tied the game up at one-all in the third as, with a man on second base, and with one man out, Jimmy Rollins hits an RBI double, knocking in John Mayberry, Jr., who had earlier singled, then stopped at second base on Cliff Lee’s sacrifice bunt, 5-4. The Rockies regain the lead in the sixth as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Rutledge hits a sacrifice fly, knocking in Tyler Colvin, who had earlier doubled, then stopped at third base on Pacheco’s single, giving the Rockies a 2-0 lead, while Pacheco, who had just singled, would move up to second base on the late throw to the plate. The Rockies then added to their lead as pinch hitter Eric Young hits an RBI single, knocking in Pacheco, giving the Rockies a 3-1 lead. The Rockies increased their lead in the seventh as, with one man on, and with no one out, Hernandez hits an RBI single, knocking in Carlos Gonzalez, who had started the inning off with a double, giving the Rockies a 4-1 lead. The Rockies then made it a 5-1 lead as Cuddyer hits an RBI triple, scoring Hernandez. The Rockies then took a 6-1 lead as Cuddyer scored on Ruiz’s throwing error as he tried to pick Cuddyer off third base. The Phils then got a run back in the eighth as, with a man on third, and with one man out, Ruiz hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Rollins, who had started the inning off with a triple. That would end up being the final score as Josh Roenicke threw a 1-2-3 ninth.

Cliff Lee (1-6, 3.92) took the lost as he went six innings, giving up three runs, two of which were earned, on nine hits and a walk, striking out four. Michael Schwimer pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up three runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out a batter. Kyle Kendrick pitched a scoreless inning and a third, striking out a batter. Christian Friedrich (5-6, 5.60) got the win as he pitched six innings, giving up a run on five hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Matt Belisle collected his twelfth hold of the season as he pitched an inning, giving up a hit, while striking out two. Rex Brothers pitched an inning, giving up a run on a hit. Josh Roenicke pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

The Phils had seven hits in the ballgame, with Jimmy Rollins (Double, Triple, RBI), Carlos Ruiz (Single, Double) and John Mayberry, Jr. (Singles) all leading the ballclub with two hits apiece. Placido Polanco had the other Phil hit, a single. Chase Utley knocked in the other Phil RBI with a sacrifice fly, as the Phils once again are unable to get the offense going.

The Phils (37-51, 5th East) will continue their series with the Rockies (34-52, 4th West) with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Coors Field, and is to start at 8:10 pm EDT (6:10 pm MDT). The Phils will send to the mound Vance Worley (4-5, 3.54), who is coming off a no-decision against the Braves on July 8, as he threw six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and four walks, while striking out five, in the Phils’ 4-3 lost. Worley will be trying to end the Phils’ losing streak. Jeremy Guthrie (3-8, 6.05) is coming off a no-decision against the Nationals on July 8, as he went six innings, giving up two runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out three, in the Rockies’ 4-3 win. He will be trying to continue the Phils’ present losing streak. The Phils will be out to put an end to their present losing streak.

The National League wins its third straight All-Star Game as it blanked the American League, 8-0.

The National League jumped into the lead in the first as, with a man on first, and with one man out, the Brewers’ Ryan Braun hits an RBI double, knocking in the Giants Melky Cabrera, who had earlier singled, giving the National League a 1-0 lead. The NL then took a 4-0 lead four batters later as, with the bases loaded, thanks to walks to the Cardinals’ Carlos Beltan, moving Braun up to second base, and to the Giants’ Buster Posey, moving both Braun and Beltran up a base, and with two men out, the Giants’ Pablo Sandoval hits a three-run triple, clearing the bases. The NL then increased their lead as the Braves’ Dan Uggla hits an RBI single, scoring Sandoval, giving the NL a 5-0 lead. The NL added to their lead in the fourth as, with a man on third, and with two men out, the Cardinals’ pinch hitter Matt Holliday hits an RBI single, knocking in fellow Cardinal Rafael Furcal, who had just tripled, giving the NL a 6-0 lead. The NL then took an 8-0 lead as Cabrera (who was later made the All-Star Game’s MVP) hits a two-run home run, knocking in Holliday. That would end up being the final as the Phils’ Jonathan Papelbon preserved the shut out by getting the Orioles’ Matt Wieters to fly out to right for the final out.

The National League squad had ten hits in the game, with Melky Cabrera of the Giants (Single, Home Run, 2 RBIs) and Ryan Braun of the Brewers (Double, Triple, RBI) leading the squad with two hits apiece. Pablo Sandoval of the Giants (Triple, 3 RBIs), Dan Uggla of the Braves (Single, RBI), Rafael Furcal of the Cardinals (Triple), pinch hitter Matt Holliday of the Cardinals (Single, RBI), pinch hitter Chipper Jones of the Braves (Single) and Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates (Single) had the other six NL hits. The NL also had three walks. The American League squad had only six hits in the game, all singles, by Derek Jeter of the Yankees, Robinson Cano of the Yankees, David Ortiz of the Red Sox, Mike Napoli of the Rangers, Mike Trout of the Angels and Joe Mauer of the Twins. The AL also had three walks, a stolen base (Trout) and a hit batter (Paul Konerko of the White Sox).

Among the Phils representatives, Carlos Ruiz came into game in the sixth inning, making one plate appearance, flying out to left. Cole Hamels pitched the seventh inning, throwing a 1-2-3 inning. Jonathan Papelbon pitched to one batter, getting the game’s final out on a fly out to right.

With the win, the NL will have home field advantage during the 2012 World Series.

The Phils enter the All-Star as they are swept at home by the Braves, losing the last two games of the series by the scores of 6-3 and 4-3.

On Saturday, the Braves took the lead in the second as, with two men out, Brian McCann hits a solo home run, his twelfth home run of the season, and his second home run of the series, giving the Braves a 1-0 lead. The Phils tried to tie the game up at one-all in their half of the second as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, Carlos Ruiz, who had started the inning off with a double, then stopped at third base on Hunter Pence’s single, is thrown out at home plate on a fielder’s choice ground ball hit to third baseman Chipper Jones by Placido Polanco, 5-2, as McCann applied the tag, while Pence, who had earlier singled, moved up to second base, while Polanco is safe at first. The Phils then tied the game up at one-all one batter later as Juan Pierre hits an RBI double, scoring Pence, while sending Polanco to third base. Two batters later, after John Mayberry, Jr. is intentionally walked to load the bases, the Phils take the lead as Joe Blanton helps his own cause by hitting an RBI single, knocking in Polanco, giving the Phils a 2-1 lead, while moving up a base both Pierre and Mayberry. The Phils increased their lead as Jimmy Rollins hits an RBI force out, 4-6, wiping out Blanton at second base for the inning’s second out, while Pierre scores, giving the Phils a 3-1 lead, as Mayberry moved up to second base, while Rollins reaches first base. The Braves got a run back in the third as, with one man on, and with two men out, Martin Prado hits an RBI double, scoring Michael Bourn, who had just singled, making it a 3-2 Phils’ lead. The Braves tied the game up at three-all in the fourth as, with two men on, and with nobody out, McCann hits an RBI single, knocking in Jones, who had started the inning off with a single, then moved up to second base on Freddie Freeman’s single, while sending Freeman, who had just singled, up to second base, before going on to third base on Pence’s fielding error. Two batters later the Braves took the lead as, with runners still on the corners, and now with one man out, Andrelton Simmons hits a sacrifice fly, knocking in Freeman, giving the Braves a 4-3 lead. The Braves increased their lead in the seventh as, with two men on, and with one man out, Prado hits an RBI single, scoring Simmons, who had started the inning off with a walk, then moved up to second base on Tommy Hanson’s sacrifice bunt, 3-unassisted, for the inning’s first out, giving the Braves a 5-3 lead, while sending Bourn, who had just walked, up to second base. One batter latter, after Bourn and Prado were involved in a double steal, Bourn would score as Jason Heyward strikes out, swinging, going to the plate as Ruiz was throwing to first to complete the strikeout, giving the Braves a 6-3 lead. That would be the final score as Craig Kimbrel collected his twenty-fourth save of the year with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Joe Blanton (7-8, 4.98) took the lost as he pitched six and a third innings, giving up six runs, only five of which were earned, on nine hits and a walk, while striking out six. Jake Diekman pitched an inning and a third, walking a batter, while striking out one. Jeremy Horst pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit, while striking out two. Tommy Hanson (10-5, 3.71) got the win as he pitched seven innings, plus one batter, giving up three runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out six. Eric O’Flaherty received his fifteenth hold of the year as he threw a 1-2-3 inning. Craig Kimbrel converted his twenty-fourth save of the season throwing a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two batters.

The Phils had eight hits in the game, with Hunter Pence leading the team with two hits, both singles. Carlos Ruiz (Double), Juan Pierre (Double, RBI), John Mayberry, Jr. (Single) and Joe Blanton (Single, RBI) had the other six Phils’ hits. Jimmy Rollins had the other Phil RBI on a force out. The Phils also had a walk in the ballgame.

In Sunday’s game, the Phils took a quick 2-0 lead in the second as, with one man on, and with one man out, Jason Pridie hits a two-run home run, his first home run of the season, knocking in Carlos Ruiz, who had started the inning off with a single. The Braves tied the game up at two-all in the fourth as, with a man on second, and with one man out, Dan Uggla hits a two-run home run of his own, his twelfth home run of the year, knocking in Freddie Freeman, who had just doubled. The Phils retook the lead in their half of the fourth as, with one man on, and with one man out, Pridie hits an RBI double, knocking in Hunter Pence, who had just walked, giving the Phils a 3-2 lead. The Braves would retied the game at three-all in the fifth as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Brian McCann hits an RBI single, scoring Martin Prado, who had earlier singled, then stopped at third base on Jason Heyward’s single, while sending Heyward, who had just singled, up to second base. The Braves took the lead in the seventh as, with two men out, McCann hits a solo home run, his thirteenth home run of the year, and his third home run of the series, giving the Braves a 4-3 lead. That would end up being the final score as Craig Kimbrel recorded his twenty-fifth save of the season as he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Vance Worley got a no-decision as he pitched six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and four walks, while striking out five. Raul Valdes (2-2, 3.80) took the lost as he went two-thirds of an inning, giving up a run on two hits, while striking out a batter. Michael Schwimer pitched a third of an inning, getting out the only batter that he would face. Jeremy Horst and Jonathan Papelbon would combine for two scoreless innings, giving up a hit (Papelbon), while striking out two batters (Papelbon) between them. Jair Jurrjens (3-2, 4.97) got the win as he went seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out four. Kris Medlin collected his fifth hold of the year as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning. Craig Kimbrel collected his twenty-fifth save of the year as he threw a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.

The Phils had only six hits in the game, with Carlos Ruiz (Singles) and Jason Pridie (Double, Home Run, 3 RBIs) both leading the ballclub with two hits each. Chase Utley (Single) and Mike Fontenot (Single), had the other two Phils’ hits. The Phils also had a walk in the game.

The Phils enter the All-Star break with a 37-50 record, in fifth place in the NL East, fourteen games behind the Nats. The team will be off until Friday night.

Ryan Howard’s return to the Phils’ line-up is spoiled by Antonio Bastardo’s eighth inning meltdown, as the Phils are blanked by the Braves, 5-0.

The game’s first seven innings saw a pitchers’ duel between Phils’ starter Kyle Kendrick, who gave up only four hits, one walk and a hit batter, while striking out five, as he kept out of trouble, and Braves’ starter Tim Hudson, who only allowed four hits, a walk and a hit batter to reach base, while he struck out none, before they both gave the game over to the bullpens, with Kendrick being taken out at the start of the eighth inning when the Braves brought in a pitch hitter for Hudson. The Braves ended the 0-0 scoreless tie in the eighth as, with the bases loaded, via a single by pinch hitter Matt Diaz, and walks by Michael Bourn and Chipper Jones, and with two men out, Freddie Freeman walked, forcing in Diaz, giving the Braves a 1-0 lead, while moving up a base both Bourn and Jones, leaving the bases loaded. The Braves then took a 5-0 lead as Brian McCann followed up with a grand-slam home run, his eleventh home run of the season, knocking in Bourn, Jones and Freeman. That would end up being the final score as Chad Durbin threw a 1-2-3 ninth.

Kyle Kendrick received a no-decision as he threw seven scoreless innings, giving up just four hits, a walk and a hit batter, while he struck out five. Antonio Bastardo (2-3, 5.34) took the lost as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up five runs on two hits and three walks. Michael Schwimer pitched a third of an inning, striking out a batter. Jeremy Horst pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two. Tim Hudson (7-4, 3.56) got the win as he pitched seven scoreless inning, giving up four hits, a walk, and hitting a batter. Eric O’Flaherty and Chad Durbin combined for two scoreless innings, giving up a hit (O’Flaherty) and a walk (O’Flaherty) between them, while striking out two (O’Flaherty).

The Phils had only five hits in the game, with Ryan Howard (Single, Double), as he made his first appearance in the line-up for 2012, leading the team with two hits. Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and pinch hitter John Mayberry, Jr. had the other three Phils’ hits, all singles. The Phils also had two walks, and a hit batter (Chase Utley), as they were unable to produce any offense, while going 0-8 with runners in scoring position.

The Phils (37-48, 5th) will continue their series with the Braves (44-39, 4th) with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park and will start at 7:15 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Joe Blanton (7-7, 4.85), who is coming off a lost to the Marlins on July 1. as he pitched six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks, while he struck out seven, in the Phils’ 5-2 lost. He will be trying to even up the series. The Braves will counter with Tommy Hanson (9-5, 3.70) , who is coming off a lost to the Cubs on July 2, as he went seven innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk, while he struck out eight, in the Braves’ 4-1 lost. Hanson will be trying to pitch the Braves to a series win. The Phils will be trying to even up the series.

The Phils’ Cole Hamels is denied his eleventh win as Papelbon is unable to put out a Mets’ rally in the ninth inning, as the Phils lose 6-5.

The Phils took the lead in the first as, with two men on, and with two men out, Shane Victorino hits an RBI single, knocking in Juan Pierre, who was safe at first on a force out, 6-4, as Jimmy Rollins, who had started the game off with a walk, is wiped out at second base, then moved on to second base as Carlos Ruiz is hit by a pitch, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead, while Ruiz, who had just been hit by a pitch, moved over to third base. The Phils added to their lead in the second as, with two men on, and with one man out, Jimmy Rollins hits an RBI double, knocking in Placido Polanco, who had started the inning off with a single, then stopped at second base on Cole Hamels’ single, giving the Phils a 2-0 lead, while sending Hamels, who had just singled, over to third base. The Mets got a run back in their half of the second as Scott Hairston hits a lead-off home run, his twelfth home run of the season, cutting the Phils’ lead down to 2-1. The Mets would tie the game-up at two-all in the third as, with two men on, and with two men out, David Wright hits an RBI single, knocking in R.A. Dickey, who had earlier singled, then stopped at second base on Daniel Murphy’s single, while sending Murphy, who had just singled, over to third base. The Phils regain the lead in the fourth as, with two men on, and with two men out, Hunter Pence hits an RBI single, knocking in Mike Fontenot, who had started the inning off with a single, then stopped at second base on Rollins’ single, giving the Phils a 3-2 lead, while sending Rollins, who had earlier singled, up to second base. The Mets took the lead in the fifth as, with one man on, and with two men out, Wright hits a two-run home run, his eleventh home run of the season, scoring Ruben Tejada, who had earlier singled, giving the Mets a 4-3 lead. The Phils would tie the game up at four-all in the sixth as, with one man on, and with one man out, Rollins hits an RBI triple, knocking in Hamels, who had earlier singled. The Phils then retook the lead as Rollins scored on Pierre’s suicide squeeze sacrifice bunt, 1-3, giving the Phils a 5-4 lead. The Phils tried to increased their lead in the eighth as, with a runner on second, and with one man out, Fontenot, who had earlier reached base with a ground-rule double, is sent home on pinch hitter Chase Utley’s single to left field, and is thrown out at the plate by a good throw by left fielder Hairston, 7-2, as catcher Josh Thole apply the tag, for the inning’s second out, while Utley would move up to second base on the play. The Mets would tie the game up at five-all in the ninth as, with the bases loaded, via a lead-off double by Ike Davis, who is then pinch run for by Ronny Cedeno, before moving up to third on Josh Thole’s sacrifice bunt, 5-4, for the inning’s first out, pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin then reaching base as he is hit by the pitch two batters later, before stealing second base, and a walk to Tejada, and with two men out, Murphy hits an RBI infield single, as Jonathan Papelbon is unable to come up with the ball, allowing Cedeno to score the tying run, while Valdespin and Tejada both moved up a base, leaving the bases loaded. The Mets then got the 6-5 walk-off win as Wright hits an RBI single, scoring Valdespin.

Cole Hamels recieved a no-decision as he went seven innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Antonio Bastardo recorded his sixteenth hold of the season as he threw a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Jonathan Papelbon blew his second save attempt of the season, before taking the lost (2-3, 3.45), as he gave up two runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batter, while striking out a batter. R.A. Dickey also received a no-decision as he threw seven innings as well, giving up five runs on eleven hits, a walk and a hit batter, as he struck out seven. Jon Rauch, Tim Byrdak and Pedro Beato combined for a scoreless inning, giving up two hits (Rauch (1), Brydak (1)) and a walk (Brydak) between them. Bobby Parnell (2-1, 2.91) got the win as he threw a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.

The Phils had thirteen hits in the game, with Jimmy Rollins (Single, Double, Triple, 2 RBIs) leading the team with three hits, followed by Mike Fontenot (Single, Double) and Cole Hamels (Singles) with two hits each. Hunter Pence (Single, RBI), Carlos Ruiz (Double), Shane Victorino (Single, RBI), Ty Wigginton (Single), Placido Polanco (Single) and pinch hitter Chase Utley (Single) had the other six Phils’ hits. Juan Pierre had the final Phil RBI with a suicide squeeze sacrifice bunt. The Phils also had two walks and a hit batter in the game.

The Phils (37-47, 5th) with start a three-game home stand with the Braves (43-39, 3rd), the final series before the All-Star break, starting with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park, and is to start at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Kyle Kendrick (2-8, 5.35), who is coming off a lost to the Pirates on June 28, as he went seven innings, giving up five runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out six, in the Phils’ 5-4 lost. He will be trying to improve on his last start. The Braves will counter with Tim Hudson (6-4, 3.87), who is coming off a lost to the Nationals on July 1, as he went six innings, giving up five runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out four, in the Braves’ 8-4 win. He will be going for his seventh win of the season. The Phils will be trying to get some kind of momentum going before the All-Star break.

Cliff Lee finally wins his first start of 2012 as the Phils’ bats decide to come to life as they crush the Mets, 9-2.

The Mets took the lead in the fourth as Scott Hairston hits a solo home run, his eleventh home run of the season, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. The Mets added to their lead in the fifth as, with runners on the corners, and with two men out, David Wright hits an RBI single, knocking in Ruben Tejada, who had earlier singled, then stopped at third base on Daniel Murphy’s single, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead, while sending Murphy, who had just singled, on to third base. The Phils tied the game at two-all in the seventh as, with one man on, and with nobody out, Chase Utley hits a two-run home run, his second home run of the year, knocking in Juan Pierre, who had started the inning off with a single. The Phils then took the lead on batter later as Carlos Ruiz hits a solo home run, his thirteenth home run of the year, giving the Phils a 3-2 lead. The Phils added to their lead in the eighth as, with a runner on second, and with one man out, Jimmy Rollins hits an RBI ground-rule double, scoring John Mayberry, Jr., who had earlier singled, then moved up to second base on Cliff Lee’s sacrifice bunt, 1-4, giving the Phils a 4-2 lead. Three batters later, with two men on, and now with two men out, Ruiz hits an RBI single, knocking in Rollins, giving the Phils a 5-2 lead, while sending pinch hitter Ty Wigginton, who had earlier been intentionally walked, up to second base. The Phils then made it a 6-2 lead as Hunter Pence hits an RBI infield single, beating shortstop Tejada’s throw to first, as Wigginton ran all the way from second base to score, while Ruiz would stop at second base. The Phils increased their lead in the ninth as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Rollins hits into an RBI force out, 4-6, forcing out at second base pinch hitter Jason Pridie, who had earlier singled, as Mayberry, who had earlier been safe at first on an earlier force out, 5-4, as Placido Polanco, who had started the inning off with a single, is wiped out at second base, giving the Phils a 7-2 lead. The Phils then took a 9-2 lead as Wigginton hits a two-run home run, his ninth home run of the season, scoring Rollins. That would end up being the final score as Jonathan Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Cliff Lee (1-5, 3.98) got the win as he threw eight strong innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out nine. Jonathan Papelbon threw a 1-2-3 inning. Chris Young (2-2, 3.41) took the lost as he went seven innings, giving up three runs on five hits, while striking out three. Miguel Batista pitched to one batter, giving up a run on a hit. Tim Brydak pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on a hit and a walk. Jeremy Hefner pitched an inning and a third, giving up three runs on five hits.

The Phils had twelve hits in the ballgame, with Juan Pierre (Singles), Carlos Ruiz (Single, Home Run, 2 RBIs) and Hunter Pence (Singles, RBI) all leading the team with two hits apiece. Jimmy Rollins (Double, 2 RBIs), Chase Utley (Home Run, 2 RBIs), Placido Polanco (Single), John Mayberry, Jr. (Single), Ty Wigginton (Home Run, 2 RBIs) and pinch hitter Jason Pridie (Single), had the other six Phils’ hits, as the offense came alive in their last three at-bats. The Phils also had a walk and a stolen base (Pierre (20)) in the game.

The Phils (37-46, 5th) will conclude their series with the Mets (44-38, 2nd) with a night game later today. The game will be played at Citi Field and will start at 7:10 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Cole Hamels (10-4, 3.08), who is coming off a lost to the Marlins on June 30, as he went seven innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out five, in the Phils’ 3-2 lost. He will be going for his eleventh win of the season, while trying to help the Phils win the series. The Mets will counter with R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.15), who is coming off a win against the Dodgers on June 29, as he pitched eight innings, giving up just three hits and a walk, while striking out ten, in the Mets’ 9-0 shutout. He will be trying for his thirteenth win of the season. The Phils will be going for the series win, while trying to keep from being contained by Dickey.

The Phils suffer their worst defeat of the 2012 season are they are crushed by the Mets, 11-1.

The Mets took the lead in the first as, with a man on third, and with one man out, David Wright hits an RBI ground out, 5-3, knocking in Daniel Murphy, who had just tripled, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. The Phils would tie the game up at one-all in the second as Carlos Ruiz hits a lead-off home run, his twelfth home run of the season. The Mets retook the lead for good in their half of the second as, with the bases loaded, via a Lucas Duda walk, leading off the inning, and singles by Andres Torres and Josh Thole, and with one man out, Jon Niese helped his own cause with a two-run single, knocking in Duda and Torres, giving the Mets a 3-1 lead, before Thole is thrown out at third base, 8-5, as he tried to move up to third base, for the inning’s second out. Two batters later as, now with two men on, after Ruben Tejada had gotten on base with a single, sending Niese up to second base, and with two men out, Murphy hits an RBI double, scoring Niese, giving the Mets a 4-1 lead, before Tejada is thrown out at the plate trying to score, 7-6-2, ending the inning. The Mets added to their lead in the fourth as, with a runner on second base, and with two men out, Tejada hits an RBI single, knocking in Thole, who had earlier singled, then moved up to second base on Niese’s sacrifice bunt, 2-4, giving the Mets a 5-1 lead, while Tejada would move up to second base on the late throw to the plate. The Mets then made it a 6-1 lead as Murphy hits an RBI single, scoring Tejada. The Mets increased their lead in the sixth as, with two men on, and with two men out, Wright hits a three-run home run, his tenth home run of the year, knocking in Niese, who had earlier walked, then stopped at second base on Tejada’s single, and Tejada, who had just singled, giving the Mets a 9-1 lead. The Mets then made it an 11-1 lead in the eighth as, with two men on, and with one man out, Murphy hits a two-run double, knocking in Thole, who had earlier singled, then reached second base on third baseman’s Placido Polanco’s force attempt throwing error, and pinch hitter Justin Turner, who had reached first base on Polanco’s error. That would end up being the final score as Jon Rauch threw a scoreless ninth.

Vance Worley (4-5, 3.46) took the lost as he pitched only four innings, giving up six runs on ten hits and a walk, while striking out three. Raul Valdes pitched an inning and two-thirds, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk, striking out two Mets. Brian Sanches pitched an inning and a third, giving up a run on one hit, striking out a batter. Jake Diekman pitched an inning, giving up two runs, only one of which was earned, on two hits, as he struck out two. Jon Niese (7-3, 3.35) got the win as he pitched eight innings, giving up a run on three hits and two walks, while striking out three. Jon Rauch pitched a scoreless ninth, hitting a batter, while striking out one.

The Phils had only three hits in the game, a home run by Carlos Ruiz, knocking in a run, a single by Hunter Pence and a single by Ty Wigginton. The Phils also had two walks and a hit batter in the game, as Jon Niese smothered the offense for eight innings, while the pitching staff got blown up for eleven runs in the lost

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